Joint for shafts



Feb. 22, 149. E, E, WALLACE JOINT FOR SHAFTS 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1942 E. E. l2 m E:

INVENTOR.

Feb. 22,1949.- E.`E.wALLA-cE '2,462,574

JOINT FOR sHAFTs Filed Sept; 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2l cli-59M Patented Feb. 22, 1949 JOINT FOR SHAFTS Edward E. Wallace, Cleveland Heights, Ghio; Daisy T. Wallace administratrix of said Edward E. ,Wallace deceased Application September 28, 1942, Serial No. 459,943

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a sectional shaft, more particularly to the joint between the sections of a shaft, whereby the power applied to one section may be transmitted to the other section irrespec- 2 one shaft section being shown disposed at an angle to the other section.

Fig, 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in plan and partly in tive of the angular relation of these sections. 5 section, showing a modified form of construc- One object of the invention is to provide an tion, wherein the connection between the shaft improved sectional shaft, one section of which sections is of the universal type. may be in a fixed angular relation to an adjacent Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4 `section or adjustable relative thereto. (the shafts sections and connections there- Another object of the invention is to provide between being in full lines), but showing one an improved sectional shaft having a simplified shaft section at an angle to the other section. connection between them permitting one section Fig. 6 is a Section on the line 6-6 of Fig- 4. to be angularly related to the adjacent section. Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3, l, 2, indicate the Another object of the invention is to provide sections of a sectional shaft, either one of which an improved sectional shaft having a connection may be the driving section to transmit torque between them constructed to relieve stresses on through a Conneetion 01 joint, indicated aS an the shaft sections or the bearings therefor, entirety at 3, to the other section. The inner whereby loss of power is reduced and vibrations ends of the shaft sections terminate in forked of the sections are eliminated. members l', 2', respectively, the forked members Another object of the invention is to provide I being disposed at right angles to the forked an improved joint for the sections of a shaft havmembers 2 and forming elements Of the Coning housings wherein the jointI may operate in a nection or joint 3, as later set forth. 4 indicates sealed chamber adapted to hold a lubricant. a Suitable housing through which the shaft sec- Another object of the invention is to provide tion i eXendS, the housing being Provided inan improved sectional shaft having housings for telOYly With a shollideredfwall 5 to form a seat the Shaft sections wherein the housings and Shaft; for the outer race of suitable anti-friction bearsections are provided with jointed connections, ings 6 for sunpertng the Shaft Section I outrespectively, permitting angular movement wardly of the joint 3, the outer race of the beartnereof about a, eommon axis, ings 6 being secured in its seat by a ring nut 1 Another object of the invention is to provide having threaded engagement With the Wall 5, an improved connection or joint between the sec- Whereas the inner race of the bearings 6 is held tions of a shaft wherein the torque of the driving against an annular shoulder on the shaft section section is transmitted to the driven section by a ring nut 5d. 8 indicates a suitable housthrough the axis of the joint, whereby lateral ing thiOllgh WhCil ilhe Shaft Section 2 eXfeYdS, stresses on or vibrations of either section and the hOllSing being provided ntelierly With a undue weer en the bearings therefor are shouldered wall 9 to form a seat for the outer eliminated, race of suitable anti-friction bearings I n for sup- Another Object of the invention is to provide porting the shaft section 2 outwardly of the joint an improved connection or joint for the sections 3 the, Omer race 0f the bearings i9 being Se- Of a shaft wherein the elements of the Connec cured 1n its Seat by a ring nut li having threaded tion or joint oat in anti-friction bearings, engagement W1th-the wail 9 Whereajs the inner whereby each shaft section is maintained against race of the bearmgs m 1s held .agamst an ain' rmln es a 1 s inner Afurthei object of the invention 1s to piovlde 45 end in spaced arms '-2 the Outer ends of which an lmproved un1versal joint `for the sect1ons of pivotauy engage trunnons 3 provided in da a Shaft of Slinphed Constrfdctlonj metrical relation exteriorly of the side walls of other 01018055 0f the mventlon Wlll be ap' the housing 4, the axes of the trunions I3 being parent to those skilled in the art to which my incoincidentally rented to the' axis of the connecvention relates from the following description tion 3, whereby either shaft section and its houstaken in connection with the accompanying ing may be disposed at an angle to the other drawings, wherein shaft section and its housing, as will be apparent Fig. 1 is a fragmentaryA section showing the from Fig.2. assembly embodying my invention. By preference, each trunnion 13 is providedon Fig. 2`1's a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, 55 its inner end with screw threads engaginga threaded opening I3' formed in the wall of the housing 4. As shown in dotted lines, each trunnion I3 is provided on its outer end with a kerf I3a, whereby it may be positioned and removed.

Of the connection or joint 3, Id indicates a block, preferably of rectangular shape and provided on its lateral walls with suitable stud shafts I5, I5', l5a, Ilia', the axes of the v'stud shafts -on opposite side A'walls of the block Id being axially related. The forked members I are pivotally mounted on the stud shafts I5, I5', and the forked members 2' are pivotally mounted on the stud shafts I5a, I5a. As will be noted in Figs. 1 and 2, the axis on which the forked members 'I -ivot intersects the axis on which the forked members 2 pivot, this point of intersection forming an axis a, that is coincidently -related -to the Ylongitudinal axes of the shaft sections and about which each section and its housing are movable relative to the other section and its housing, as

:already =set forth. t6 -indicates suitable antifriction bearings between each stud shaft and the adjacent Aforked 'memben By preference, each .stud shaft l5, l5', ld, ieu', Ais :provided on its inner end with screw 'threads engaging a, threaded opening formed in the adjacent side wall ofthe block Yle (see Fig. 3).

fll'findicates an anti-friction bearing incorporated1in=the connection cr joint 3 for supporting `the forked members of the shaft sections i, 2, when in alin'ed or in any angular relationship. The'bearing `I'l comprises outerand inner annular races Ila, I la', fixedly related to the shaft sections, -I, -2, respectively, and a plurality of antifriction elements (preferably balls) `iib between them. -As shown, the opposed faces of the races Ila, lila', in cross section, are spherically related to"the axis a of the connection or joint il,

'whereby the :forked members l', Z', are rotatably mounted and free to swing or be adjusted into angular relation about this axis. In this arrange- `ment, 'a single anti-friction bearing supports the inner or connected ends of the shaft sections I, 2, and-cooperates with the bearings tand le so that three bearings only, that is, bearings, i 'i and la,

sections are `in axial relation, it provides for rotation Aoftheforlred members I', 2', about thisaxis, whether the shaft sections i, l2, are axially related `or disposed one vat any angle to the other.

As 'a result. no vibrations are set up in the shaft ,A

sections', that is, lateral vibrations -at their inner or 'connected vend-s and vibrations 'endwise of the sections, :so-that undue 4wear on the bearings 6, Ill, is eliminated, :frictional 4losses are materially reduced and. efficiency and `durability increased.

`'In the form vof construction shown, the outer bearing race I'ia is mounted in the housing 4 adfjacent its inner end, being seated against an annular shoulder ia and rigidly secured in posi- "tion by a ring `nut i8 having threaded engagement vwith'the inner wall of the housing (but if ydesired the race Ha may also be locked to the wall Eof the housing by a suitable set screw or key); whereas the inner race I'la is mounted on the forked-member 2"-, the forked member '2' and the inner wall of the race being milled out to for-fn 'se'ats 2 for the 'forked member 2', whereby the race is carried by the latter. Aset screw I9 may bei employed to secure the race in its seat.

vfll're'feriti-itl member Y2" is relieved, as shown at 4 2" to provide clearance for the forked member I'.

As will be understood from the drawings, the outer race Ila has a width to accommodate the inner race Ila throughout the range of relative angular movement or adjustment of the housings d and 8 about the trunnions I3, as limited by the 'engagement of lthe housing 8 `with suitable stops im on the walls ofthe housing 4.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a modification wherein provision is made between the housings to permit universal angular movement of the shaft sections I, 2. In this form of construction the mounting of and connections between the shaft sections I, 2, are similar to corresponding parts shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but the housings d and 8 are connected by ball-and-socket members to provide a sealed closure for the joint 3 at the inner ends of the housings 4, 8, one to swing or move in any direction relative to the other. In the arrangement shown, the outer wall of the housing t adjacent its free end is in cross section, concentric to the axis of the connection or joint 3, in planes at right angles to and longitudinally of the housing as shown at 20, which wall 20 forms .part of a sphere, whereas the free end of the housing 8 is provided with a socket 2I the inner wall of which is, in cross section, concentric to the axis of the connection or .joint 3, Vand complementary related to the wall 200i the housing 4 for rotatable and slidable movement thereon. The socket 2I is formed of two sections l2 Ia, 2 Ia', to vpermit of their assembly, having mating end walls, whereby they may be rigidly connected by screws 2Q or otherwise secured together. The inner section 2in is preferably formed integrally with the housing 8.

Provision is madefor sealingly enclosing the joint 3 and bearing Il, whereby these parts may be suitably lubricated. Referring to Figs. 1 and the housing is provided with an annular wall 2t between the shoulder 4a 'andrw'al'l 5, the inner side wall of which forms a seat Vfor a 'flange 23 in which is mounted a suitable jseal 24 in engagement with the shaft section I, whereas the inner end of the shaft section 2, 'to which the forked members 2' are connected, Iis exteriorly of spherical shape, as shown at 2x for engagement with a seal ring 25 suitably fixed to the ring nut I8. In this arrangement the space or chamber within the housing 4 between the seal Zland ring 25 is closed or sealed, whereby such space may be provided with a suitable lubricant for these parts. The housing 8 is also provided with an annular Wall 26 the inner side wall of which is shaped to form a seat for a ange 26 in which is mounted a suitable seal 2l' held therein by a split ring 28 in clamping ngagement with the shaft section 2, the 'seal21 serving to prevent the escape of lubricant for the bearing Ill from the housing 8. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, since the housings l and 8 terminate in ball-and-socket members, "as already set forth, and these housings are provided with seals 2t and 29, which 'are similar in construction to and correspondingly positioned as are the seals 2t and 2l, respectively, shown in Figs. 1 and they serve to seal o'r close the space or chamber in which the joint 3 and bearing I'l operate, which space may be provided with a suitable lubricant for these parts as well as the surfaces between the walls 20 and v2l.

Theform of construction shown in Figs. v1, 2 and 3 4may be advantageously applied to shafting where the sections are axially related 'o 'r in fixed angular relation or Where one section is to be adjusted varying distances relative to the other section in one plane, whereas the form of construction shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, lends itself for use Where one shaft section is to be adjusted in any direction relative to the other section.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with related housings, of .means for pivotally connecting said housings, whereby one may be disposed in angular relation to the other, a shaft comprising sections each mounted in one of said housings and terminating at their inner ends in forked members pivotally connected together on a center common to the center of the pivotal connecting means for said housings, a bearing in each housing for the adjacent shaft section spaced from the forked member thereof, and bearing devices surrounding said forked members, one device being carried by the housing for one shaft section and the other device being carried by the forked member for the other shaft section, the opposed surfaces of said bearing devices being spherically curved about the center of said forked members.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pivotally connecting means between said housings consist of diametrically related trunnions on one housing and arms on the other housing engaging said trunnions.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pivotally connecting means between said housings consist of ball-and-socket members carried by said housings, respectively.

4. In sectional shafting, the combination with related housings, of means for pivotally connecting said housings, whereby one may be disposed angularly to the other, a shaft comprising sections each mounted in one of said housings, a universal joint between said shaft sections consisting of pivotally connected forked members swingable about a center which is common to the axis of the pivotal connecting means between said housings, a bearing in each housing for the adjacent shaft section spaced from said driving connection, and an anti-friction bearing surrounding said joint, one race of said bearing being carried by one of said housings and the other race of the bearing being carried by the forked member related to the other housing and the opposed faces of said races being spherically curved about the center of said joint, said first mentioned bearings and said last mentioned bearing co-operating to support said shaft sections in all positions of said housings.

5. Shafting as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pivotally connecting means between said housings consist of ball-and-socket members carried by said housings, respectively.

6. A combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housings are provided with closure devices for sealingly enclosing said last mentioned bearing.

7. A combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said housings is provided with closure devices for sealingly enclosing the first mentioned bearing therein.

EDWARD E. WALLACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,092,746 Robinson Apr. 7, 1914 1,129,025 Sneden Feb. 16, 1915 1,186,134 Ross June 6, 1916 1,307,799 Wingquist June 24, 1919 1,447,572 Ross Mar. 6, 192'3 1,491,988 Holmes Apr. 29, 1924 1,503,571 White Aug. 5, 1924 1,695,579 Dusseau Dec. 18, 1928 2,255,172 Johnson Sept. 9, 1941 2,331,982 Johnson Oct. 19, 1943 

